Picture the most successful Chiropractor you know. What is it about them that you admire the most? What characteristics do they have that you really respect? Is it their confidence? Their intelligence? Or maybe it’s their work ethic? But what about the things you might not notice at first glance?Like an insatiable hunger, gratitude or patience?Often it’s the traits that fly under the radar that can have the biggest impact on your ability to achieve.

In my 3 decades of observation I have listed these underappreciated traits that carry the most value. Even though they’re not as “loud,” they’re absolutely necessary to succeed.

1-Mindfulness

It’s easy to get lost in the grind and miss out on many things in the demanding environment that comes with entrepreneurship. Deliberately and regularly make time to reflect on past successes and failures, which opens you mind up to different possibilities. There’s a lesson in every outcome in our lives and discovering them makes us grow.

Solid Speaking Skills

Become more articulate, logical and overall a better public speaker. These skills will play a critical role in your development and practice success.

Insatiability

Be a naturally insatiable person when it comes to learning and growth. This leads to being open to new ideas, asking questions and ingesting endless amounts of new content. All of this leads toward success, as one new piece of knowledge builds on another and sparks of curiosity create new valuable relationships. It also results in a constant drive to dissect and improve your business.

Decisiveness

The most successful Chiros recognize they do not have time to get all of the facts for the dozens of decisions they make each day. Instead, they just need to gather enough information to make sound decisions so the practice can move forward. Some of those decisions will be wrong, but it’s better to learn from those mistakes and try again than to be immobilized by indecisiveness.

Consistency

I think my biggest key to success—and the thing I tell others who are starting new practices—is to be consistent. Growing a practice is hard, but you have to keep at it week after week and month after month.

Coachability

Pretty much anyone can take feedback at a surface level, but actually evaluating criticism and learning from it is a rare trait. After all, feedback is incredibly personal and it can cause severe damage to your ego. Rather than nodding to harsh feedback, learn from the best by really taking their advice to heart and separating self-worth from your ability to have valuable learning experiences.

Honesty

People appreciate emphasis on honesty. It’s surprising really, given all the people who don’t focus on it, but honesty is still highly valued among patients who are seeking that authentic experience. Even if it means telling a patient “I can’t do something,” I’d rather be honest and let them know. They appreciate that and come back when I can help them.

Calmness

I have always been a very laid-back person. I often find myself in the middle of stressful and complex deals. By staying calm, I’m able to see things more objectively and not allow the stress of the deal to force a bad decision.

Patience

I see people rush things all the time because they have that need for immediate results. But I’ve learned that slow and steady can win the race because patience often leads to better results. You are not pushing people or situations, but letting them occur naturally, which also helps determine in advance if the moves are smart and whether I’ve covered all my bases.

Gratitude

There are many successful Chiros who aren’t happy. My perspective is that gratitude is the thing that keeps you centered. Every day, I begin by writing down things I’m grateful for, and I make it a point to give gifts to people I feel grateful to. It makes them feel good, makes me feel good and keeps life centered.

Ability to Read People

An underrated trait that can easily attribute my success to is being able to read people. Having the ability to pick up on different people’s personalities can be extremely beneficial when interacting with them. Everyone has a different style of communicating and being able to notice that and adjust to fit their style has been key for my developing strong, long-lasting relationships.

Hunger and Humility

When I started my practice, I was in debt. I had nothing and it made me hungry. This is what helped me build a multimillion-dollar practice from very little capital. Being hungry and humble allows us to focus on what truly matters.

To a great extent, we create our fate every single day, and most of the ills we suffer from are directly traceable to our own (controllable) attitude. Life is packed full of uncontrollable events; in many situations the only thing we can control is the attitude we choose to respond with. When you really take the time to think about it, everything happening around us is neutral and meaningless up until the point that we give it meaning. And the questions we ask ourselves drive the meaning we create and the attitude we have about everything.

Regardless of what you’re going though, it’s about choosing: Will I allow this to upset me? Will I choose to make this bad or good? Will I choose to stay or walk away? Will I choose to yell or whisper? Will I choose to react or take the time to respond? You CAN always choose an attitude that moves you forward. And doing so will help you change things from the inside out, and ultimately allow you to grow beyond the struggles you can’t control.

Here’s one powerful question that will support you with a positive attitude adjustment when you need it most: Who would you be, and what else would you see, if you erased the thought that’s worrying you?

Honestly, worry is the biggest enemy of the present moment. It does nothing but steal your joy and keep you very busy doing absolutely nothing at all. When you spend time worrying, you’re simply using your imagination to create moments you don’t want.

Realize that, somewhere within us all, there does exist a supreme self who is eternally at peace. Because inner peace does not depend on external conditions, it’s what remains when you’ve surrendered your ego and worries. Peace can be found within you at any place and at any time. It’s always there, patiently waiting for you to turn your attention toward it.

Think about it: Who would you be, and what else would you see, if you erased the thought that’s worrying you? Identify a specific thought that’s been troubling your worried mind lately, and then visualize how your life would be different if you removed this thought:

How would it change your outlook on your present life situation?

Would you treat yourself and others differently?

How would you feel?

How would you behave?

What else would you be able to accomplish?

These techniques work no matter where you stand in your current situation or what you’re up against going forward. Even if you have limited experience with self-improvement and personal development tactics. And even if you don’t know what you really want for yourself…yet.

The desire for approval is common among us. We like to be liked. This, I assume, is a common trait throughout most of humanity. But I’m wondering, as technology and communication change, if this element of human nature is playing a larger role in our society and personal development than ever before. The desire to be liked often causes us to say only the things we know people want to hear. And there is a danger in that for both the giver and receiver. First, as the receiver, when we only hear the things we want to hear, we are rarely pushed into areas of needed growth. Criticism can be helpful—and it should be welcomed, especially when it comes from the people who love and or care about us most. Second, when the voices around us act as only an echo chamber of our personal beliefs, we miss opportunity to see the world from a new perspective, grow, and prosper.

The first danger of avoiding criticism is just as prevalent as it has ever been. If we do not surround ourselves with people willing to speak hard truth into our lives or practices, we are left with little opportunity for growth. We ought to value those who challenge us in positive ways and also receive their criticism with grace and patience (however difficult that may be). But the second danger appears to be disproportionately more prevalent in today’s heightened world of communication. For many people, digital platforms have become the new town square. Even more, our digital lives form the foundation for the influences we seek in our life. We follow our favorite authors, artists, entertainers, and thought-leaders and avoid the others.

This is all fine but there is a downside. When we get to single-handedly pick all the people that we allow to speak into our lives, we are less likely to select people with opposing worldviews shaped by unique circumstances. It’s not always easy to allow people into our lives who we disagree with—and even more difficult to not quickly dismiss their words when we do. But these are needed for life improvement. Seek out voices that say things you need to hear—not just the things you want to hear.

Consider another angle to this conversation. There is a danger to us when we only hear things we want to hear. But there is also a danger in being the person who only says what other people want to hear—and I think our ever-connected world has made that more possible than ever before. This applies to your practice, your patients and popular Chiropractic practice mentors you may be familiar with.

Positive reinforcement always encourages more of the same behavior, when people are drawn to the things we are saying, we are more inclined to repeat them. And the more we repeat them, the more likely we are to believe them. This is good when the words we are speaking are beneficial to the listener. But this can be detrimental to us when the words we are speaking are not helpful or when they perpetuate that we repeat only because the listener wants to hear it. No improvement or progress occurs when this happens.

My mentor always taught me to speak what people need to hear, not what they want to hear. This especially applies in my case to the management of your office. It also applies to you in the management of your patients.Your Patients and or practice members, just as with your children and loved ones, need to hear what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. And contrary to what some popular practice management gurus will tell you, saying what patients want to hear is rarely the best way to build your practice or profession for that manner. There are times to comfort, soothe, encourage, and praise. But there are also times to speak unpopular truth. Do both. And receive both.

BJ Palmer said that ” Rivers and Men take the path of least resistance, and the path of least resistance makes both crooked.” Nuff Said.

We become and then we attract. We grow personally and then we advance materially. Unfortunately, the vast majority seems to have the plan reversed. Their philosophy is this: “If I had more money, I would be a better person.” But that’s not the way life is designed to work. Having more doesn’t make us more. It merely magnifies what we already are. Those who cannot save a few pennies out of meager earnings will never be able to save dollars out of future fortunes. The same discipline it takes to put a few coins in a jar every week is the same discipline it takes to open a savings account or manage an investment portfolio.

Conversation about our intended progress will only take us so far and promises about the future will only buy us a little time. Promises must soon be matched by performance. If the results do not appear in a reasonable amount of time we run the risk of losing the trust of others in addition to our own self-respect. We may find that those who once believed no longer believe, and we will one day be left only with our well-intentioned, but unfulfilled, pronouncements. A loss of this magnitude is worth preventing. It is on the day when we discover our losses that we will taste the bitter pill of neglect. It is on that day when we will finally experience the agonizing consequences of self-delusion, procrastination and unkept promises.

Will we read the books, make the plans, make good use of time, invest a portion of all that we earn, polish our current skills, attend classes to develop new skills and get around better people in order to improve our chances for success? Will we tell the truth, improve our ability to communicate, and give careful attention to all the virtues that success requires? Or will we be content to let the time slip through our fingers like grains of sand while we slowly lose self-confidence, the respect of others, and perhaps even the few possessions and valuable relationships that our past efforts have managed to attract into our lives? Will we go on sitting idly by while our dreams diminish to memories, as hope gives way to remorse?

Most of us have amazing family members, friends, and other loved ones who love us back. Learn to appreciate what a gift that is. Most of us have good health, which is another gift. Most of us have eyes, with which to enjoy the amazing gifts of sunsets and nature and beauty all around us. Most of us have ears, with which to enjoy music – one of the greatest gifts of them all. We may not have all these things, because we can’t have everything, but we certainly have plenty to be grateful for. To an extent, we know this already, and yet we forget. It happens to the best of us.

As human beings, when we aren’t grateful for what we have, we aren’t capable of being happy. This is not just some self-improvement cliché either. It’s been scientifically proven. For example, researchers in numerous positive psychology studies have split study participants into two groups and instructed one group of study participants to reflect on the little things they are grateful for at the end of each day, while the other group just goes about their normal routines. Then, after several weeks, both groups are interviewed, and it becomes clear that the first group enjoyed considerably greater life satisfaction than the other group during that time period.

Why does this happen? The simplest explanation is that forcing ourselves to focus on thoughts and actions related to gratitude, regardless of circumstances, helps our brains develop positive emotions. In one notable study, researchers asked participants to smile forcibly while thinking of something specific they’re grateful for. They found that this consistently stimulated mental activity associated with positive feelings and emotions. The bottom line for most of us (severe depression and other related mental illnesses notwithstanding) is pretty clear: when we force ourselves to be grateful by making gratitude a part of our daily routines, we actually feel a lot happier.

How to Force Yourself to Be More Grateful? In the end, the secret to being grateful is no secret. You choose to be grateful. Then you do it again and again. If you forget, begin again. There are, however, three specific gratitude strategies you can use. I encourage you to implement them, gradually, one at a time, into your life. And if you need further assistance, we’re here.

Practice a private, evening gratitude ritual.

Here’s a super simple, five-minute, evening gratitude ritual: Every evening before you go to bed, write down three things that went well during the day and their causes. Simply provide a short, causal explanation for each good thing. That’s it. We spend tens of thousands of dollars on expensive electronics, big homes, fancy cars, and lavish vacations hoping for a boost of happiness. This is a simple, free alternative, and it works. If you begin this ritual this evening, you just might be looking back on today many years from now, as the day when your whole life changed.

Practice giving thanks publicly.

Although gratitude comes from within, the public expression of gratitude is important too. In his best selling book, “Authentic Happiness,” the renowned positive psychologist Martin Seligman gives some practical suggestions on how to do this. He recommends that we ritualize the practice of expressing gratitude in letters to friends, family, coworkers, and other people who we interact with in our community. Put this gratitude strategy into practice in your own lives by ritualizing it into our morning routine. Write a short email, text message, or letter each morning to one specific person, mindfully thanking and praising them for what they do that makes our lives a little brighter.

Practice reflecting on the little things you are grateful for.

It’s fairly easy to remember to be grateful for the big and obvious things that happen — a new addition to the family, a win at your office, a significant business breakthrough, etc. But the happiest people find ways to give thanks for the little things too. Ponder these perspective-shifting points:

You are alive.

You didn’t go to sleep hungry last night.

You didn’t go to sleep outside.

You had a choice of what clothes to wear this morning.

You haven’t spent a minute in fear for your life.

You know someone who loves you.

You have access to clean drinking water.

You have access to medical care.

You have access to the Internet.

You can read.

Be honest: when was the last time you were grateful for simply being alive, or going to sleep with a full belly? More specifically, think of all the little things you experience — the smell of a home-cooked meal, hearing your favorite song when it randomly comes on the radio, seeing a marvelous sunset, etc. Pay attention, and be grateful. Truly, the richest human isn’t the one who has the most, but the one who needs less. Wealth is a mindset. Want less and appreciate more today. And remember, the best time to focus on being grateful is when you don’t feel like it. Because that’s when doing so can make the biggest difference.

There are specific patterns of the most successful Chiropractors in our profession. Here are the top ten. Adopt them for yourself and you absorb the patterns of success.Do that consistently and you become successful.

1-Always stay connected to a Power Source outside of themselves. No exception to this rule and why it is listed as # 1. Unplug the battery and in time it goes dead.

2- Regularlyassociate with positive and successful Chiropractors. There are no successful Chiros living on an island. That would be fantasy island.

3- Aregivers not takers. Success is what it is about for them, not self. The more you give of self the more you get.

4- Constantly work on their personalities realizing that most of us are boring.Becoming magnetic takes practice.

5-Always promoting their product in this case Chiropractic. Life is sales, would you purchase from you? If not change quickly.

6- Never afraid toask for help when stuck. Superstars ask and take action. The middle of the pack does little of either.

7- Humble,accept council and advice. How do you determine who to listen to? Simple, it is results. What results does the person have giving you advice?

8- Copy or mirror success patterns in other successful people. There is no shame in driving a used idea or procedure.

9- Understandthere is no end zone. The ball is consistently moved up field.There is no there and then,only now.

Let me give you an illustration as to why some Chiropractors do not reach their potential in practice. Let’s say your favorite Collect football team was in the national championship. They were ranked # one in the nation, had the best quarterback, and the odds were in their favor. So you sit down in front of the TV with a beer and your favorite snacks and get ready for the crushing defeat your team is about to give the opponent. So they get the ball, and roll out the first play. Your teams QB rolls back 5 steps, keeps the ball and gets sacked. Ok that happens. There is always another play right? Second down, your QB calls the same play, drops back and gets sacked again. And this happens over and over, with the same play. Its gets to the point where the opposing teams defense knows the play so well, the Quarterback doesn’t even get to drop back 5 steps, he gets sacked immediately.

So what would you do? Would you:

1- Hope they change the play?

2- Keep watching?

3- Change the channel after the first quarter of your team getting crushed?

Now let’s pull this illustration forward to you. In practice do you find yourself running the same play? Is their reluctance to step out and add or do more or new things? Do you feel like you are constantly being sacked? What is your plan to change that? Obviously if you do more of the same, you get more of the same results. Doing the same thing over and over again is a good sign of insanity. If you want something different, you have to do something different.

Don’t keep running the same play, go to the play book and use as many of the plays I send you weekly as possible. This gives you dozens of options to go and grow!

It’s not always easy to ask ourselves the hard questions—the kind of questions that I imagine are illuminated in your late days of life but are often squeezed out by more “pressing” things in your 20s, 30s, 40s and more. Questions like…

Do you speak up when it counts?

What do you love to do but never make time for?

In regards to the risks you’re afraid of taking, what do you really have to lose?

What are you proud of?

Do you speak kindly to yourself and others?

Are you living or existing?

What impact do you want to leave on the people you love?

I think that’s why so many of us fear stillness. Because sometimes, being still feels harder than hustling. Scarier. Quieting the noise, asking ourselves the hard questions, and uncovering the truest version of ourselves sounds infinitely less safe than buying more clothes or putting in more hours at the office.

Deep down, we know that listening to the voice inside may lead us down a different path than the one we’re taking, and… change is hard. But when we do the hard work of self-discovery—the stillness finding and the soul searching—we experience more peace and clarity than we ever felt when we were hustling. It’s really not about the stuff we fill our homes and lives with but instead about the people and pursuits we fill our hearts with.

It’s not always easy to ask ourselves the hard questions—the kind of questions that I imagine are illuminated in your late days of life but are often squeezed out by more “pressing” things in your 20s, 30s, 40s and more. Questions like…

Do you speak up when it counts?

What do you love to do but never make time for?

In regards to the risks you’re afraid of taking, what do you really have to lose?

What are you proud of?

Do you speak kindly to yourself and others?

Are you living or existing?

What impact do you want to leave on the people you love?

I think that’s why so many of us fear stillness. Because sometimes, being still feels harder than hustling. Scarier. Quieting the noise, asking ourselves the hard questions, and uncovering the truest version of ourselves sounds infinitely less safe than buying more clothes or putting in more hours at the office.

Deep down, we know that listening to the voice inside may lead us down a different path than the one we’re taking, and… change is hard. But when we do the hard work of self-discovery—the stillness finding and the soul searching—we experience more peace and clarity than we ever felt when we were hustling. It’s really not about the stuff we fill our homes and lives with but instead about the people and pursuits we fill our hearts with.

Can you see it? You live on a tropical island. You get up when you like and you do what you want. Some guy named Jeeves brings breakfast. From a reclined position on your balcony, all you can see is the ocean and your feet. Ah, the life of the young and retired. We all dream of being happy someday. Until then, we are overworked, overstressed and under-happy. The dream doesn’t seem possible without a lottery win or a call from a wealthy uncle in poor health. But what fun is life if we aren’t happy about it? The good news is you can add happiness to your life now. Just a few serotonin-producing activities can reduce stress and make the wait for Utopia easier to bear. Here are five ridiculously easy things anyone can do every day to feel happy.

Speak daily affirmations. Did you hear the bad news? If not you haven’t been paying attention. The barrage of pessimism from the media and even your own friends has a way of pulling you down. How do you pull yourself back up? By proclaiming the positive. What do you believe about yourself that is affirming? Are you strong? Are you capable? Are you determined to win regardless of the obstacles? When you speak what you affirm out loud, it affects your emotions. It creates a feeling of confidence or, for lack of a better word, happiness. It sounds crazy and may feel silly at first, but the rush can become almost addictive. Write out your affirmations and begin your day with at least 20. These incessant and positive proclamations often annoy the negative people. When that happens, say them louder. More happiness.

Give. Giving is one of the most powerful happiness-creating actions of all time. But don’t go pass out hundred dollar bills until your bank account is dry. That does create happiness but not for you. Instead, offer microscopic acts of philanthropy. What do you have that you can give? Offering a word of encouragement to a friend, a helping hand where needed, a crazy eye-popping tip to the waitress or a surprise cup of coffee to a co-worker—all those things can create a delightful feeling of selflessness. In her World of Psychology article, “How Giving Makes Us Happy,” Theresa J. Borchard explains that it’s the personal experience of benevolence that generates the greatest bliss when giving fosters a social connection.

Accomplish something early. Do you ever get to the end of the day and wonder what you actually achieved? To combat that gnawing uneasy feeling, plan the night before what you absolutely must complete the following day. What are you determined to get done even in the face of a natural disaster or a missed television show? Write that report, finish that article, walk that mile around the neighborhood. After your affirmations, put on your blinders, forget everyone else’s agenda and, by George, get it done. The rest of your day will be built on a feeling of accomplishment.

Take a dark chocolate break. According to an article in Health magazine by Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, “6 Foods That Can Make You Happier,” dark chocolate triggers the walls in your blood vessels to relax which lowers blood pressure and improves circulation. It also contains magnesium, a mineral shown to help alleviate fatigue and depression. And, as if that weren’t enough, dark chocolate enacts a sense of euphoria. Or maybe I just made all that up. Either way, it’s a great idea.

Quit. You’ve heard the saying, “Nobody likes a quitter.” That may be true in team sports but, as a daily happiness activity, quitting is vital. The truth is, there is no end to the tasks at hand. There comes a time when you have to walk away. Oh sure, if you don’t hold your feet to the fire and stay late the earth will be pulled into a black hole and humanity will be lost, but, alas, the work is waiting for you the next morning. Quitting at a certain time each day gives your mind a place to stop. It also frees up space for the little things in life like talking to your spouse and introducing yourself to the kids.

One of the keys to a happier life is to be proactive about your own welfare because no one will do that for you. Take back control and do what is in the best interest of your mental well-being. By doing so, your days will be filled with many additional smiles.